ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›F›forestall
ISEE/SSAThard
forestall
to prevent something by taking action in advance
Synonyms
- prevent
- preempt
- avert
Antonyms
forestall in a sentence
Officials released water from the reservoir to forestall flooding.
A timely apology forestalled a bitter dispute between the two neighbors.
Where it comes from
From Old English foresteall, meaning 'an ambush or interception.'
Memory hook
FORE-STALL means 'stall beforehand': act early to stop something.
Read it in context
- The Season of Reckoning History